The hive is located in a dead oak tree with a circumference of approximately 100inches at the entrances. We first noticed the hive in the spring of 2006. The tree has been dead since spring 2004. The tree is located at the end of a fence row at the south end of our property. It is a solitary tree. The hive entrances (2) are on the south side of the tree and are approximately 6ft from the ground. The two holes lie in a vertical line about 10in apart. The lower hole is about 2in in diameter and the upper is about 1.5in long x .5in wide. Michelle's father identified the bees as Italian honey bees. They seem to be a very robust and mild tempered colony.
We have removed all lower branches back to the trunk and plan to remove the upper portion of the tree and then cover the top of the trunk to protect if from splitting/weathering. We are unsure how much of the tree contains hive and will top the tree conservatively to avoid cutting into the hive. We also plan to set up an empty hive with used comb with hopes to entice any swarm from the tree to use this hive as a new home. 2008 is our first year as beekeepers. We have set up three honey bee colonies this year. 2 purchased and 1 captured swarm from a friends farm.
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